African Coffee Beans: Our Full Guide with Tasting Notes
African Coffee beans, in our opinion, are overlooked in the grand scheme of things. While South America and the Caribbean take a lot of the credit, African Coffee is among the most varied and quality on the planet. Or at least we could be biased.
Regardless, finding the right coffee beans from the right country is a little bit tricky as they each offer a huge variety, and each something a little different. So we're going to walk you through the counties that produce the coffee, what kind of coffee beans are produced and what tasing notes you should be expecting!
Here we go - Our full guide to African Coffee beans
Tanzanian Coffee Beans
Main Production Regions
- Arusha / Northern Tanzania
- Mbeya
Coffee Varieties
- Arabica
- Robusta
- Boubon
- Blue Mountain
Best Roasts
- Medium (High caffeine)
- Dark (Rich Peppery flavour)
Tasting Notes
Tanzanian coffee beans come in all shapes and sizes. The best-known coffee in Tanzania is very light and floral, with sweet notes and a bitter winey finish. Complex and delicious.
The northern regions near the famous Tanzanian National parks are considered the best, with southern producers in Mbeya quickly gaining a reputation.
Brands
- Lunji Farm
- Peaberry Coffee
Kenyan Coffee Beans
Main Production Regions
- Mount Kenya
- Aberdare Range
- Kisii
- Nyanza
- Bungoma
- Nakuru
- Kericho
Coffee Varieties
- SL28
- SL34
- K7
- Ruiru
- Batia
Best Roasts
- Medium (High caffeine)
- Dark (Rich Peppery flavour)
Tasting Notes
Kenyan coffee beans are considered by many as 'the best in the world'. They come in all shapes and sizes. The coffee has a very enjoyable floral, whiney flavour to it and sweet after notes. Kenyan coffee is slightly more bitter than other African coffee
Brands
- Volcanica Kenya Whole Coffee Bean
- Cooper's Cask Kenyan Coffee Beans
- Henry's House of Coffee
Ugandan Coffee Beans
Main Production Regions
- West Nile
- Northern Lira & Gulu Regions
- Eastern Mbale & Bugisu Regions
- Central, Southwest Jinja, Mukono and Kampala
Coffee Varieties
- Robusta
- Arabica
- Typica
- SL 14
- SL 28
- Kent
Best Roasts
- Medium (High caffeine)
- Dark (Rich Peppery flavour)
Tasting Notes
The coffee beans from Uganda are similar to another high altitude east African crops. They have an acidic winey flavour and a light complexity to the body. The after notes are quite light and bitter.
Brands
- Three Avocados
- Groundwork Sipi Falls
- Molecule
Ethiopian Coffee
Main Production Regions
- Harrar
- Ghimbi
- Sidamo
Coffee Varieties
- Longberry
- Shortberry
- Mocha
Best Roasts
- Medium (High caffeine)
- Dark (Rich Peppery flavour)
Tasting Notes
Ethiopian coffee beans are very delicate, light in flavour and complex. Again, quite acidic and winey, yet enjoyable. They are very floral and have elements of fresh herbs and medicinal flavours in their tasting profile.
The coffee is not strong and very easy to drink.
Brands
- Volcanica's Ethiopian Coffee
- Cooper's Ethiopian Whole Bean Coffee
- Fresh Roasted Coffee LLC’s Ethiopian Coffee
Burundi Coffee
Main Production Regions
- Buyenzi
- Kirimiro
- Mumirwa
- Bweru
- Bugesera
Coffee Varieties
- Bourbon
- Arabica
Best Roasts
- Medium (High caffeine)
- Dark (Rich Peppery flavour)
Tasting Notes
The coffee beans from Burundi have sweet, acidic winey high notes with complexity similar to Ethiopia. The coffee beans from Burundi are very overlooked and the country is one of the most interesting in terms of their production.
Expect high notes of sour passion and low notes of earthy burned chocolate. Really delicious.
Brands
- The Barn
- Cloud Picker Coffee Roasters
- Kafferostare Per Nordby Diamond’s Roastery
- Imperator
- Five Senses
DRC Coffee
Main Production Regions
- Ubangi
- Uele
- Kivu
- Kasai
- Bas-Congo
- Kivu and Ituri (Highlands)
Coffee Varieties
- Robusta
- Arabica
Best Roasts
- Dark (Rich Peppery flavour)
Tasting Notes
Congolese crops stand out a little bit from the other African Coffee Beans. They still retain an upfront acidic winey flavour - which offers notes of orange and sweet citrus, with sugar sweetness. The aftertaste is surprisingly spiced.
If you're a fan of very strong coffee then the Congolese coffee bean may be the one you should try.
Brands
- Fresh Roasted Coffee
- Organic Congo Kivu
- Kosher, Whole Bean
- Kicking Horse Coffee
- Grizzly Claw
Rwandan Coffee Beans
Main Production Regions
- Virunga
- Kivu
- Kizi Rift
- Akagera
Coffee Varieties
- Bourbon
- Catuai
- Caturra
Best Roasts
- Medium (High caffeine)
- Dark (Rich Peppery flavour)
Tasting Notes
Rwandan Coffee beans are known to have deeper, more rich fruit flavours such as blackberry, recurrent and as sweet as strawberry. The coffee is acidic and winey but one you can really savour to bring our all of the flavours/
Brands
- Volcanica Rwanda Coffee Beans
- Bluebottle Nyanza Iwacu
- Verve Kinini Village
- Source Climate Change Coffee (pictured)